How to Make Yogurt in the Microwave

By Erica Roth

Homemade yogurt can end up being less expensive than buying the dairy product in stores and helps you control the amount of fat you consume. Yogurt-making of any kind is a lengthy project. Using the microwave to make yogurt can save you some time in the process. This recipe yields a little more than 32 oz. of yogurt.

Things You'll Need

Glass bowl

4 cups fresh milk

1/4 cup powdered milk

2 tbsp. yogurt with active cultures

Food thermometer

Microwave

Plastic wrap

Dish towel

Fruit

Pour 4 cups of fresh milk into a glass bowl that is safe to use in a microwave. Choose skim milk for a nonfat yogurt or whole milk for a richer yogurt.

Add 1/4 cup powdered milk and stir well.

Put the bowl of milk in the microwave and heat it on high power for 8 to 9 minutes. The temperature of the milk should reach 175 degrees F. After 9 minutes, check the temperature with a food thermometer.

Allow the milk to cool down for a few minutes. Keep the thermometer in the bowl and let it cool down until the temperature reads 100 degrees F.

Add 2 tbsp. fresh yogurt (plain flavor from the supermarket is fine) with active cultures to the milk. This serves as your starter. Stir well.

Cover the bowl with milk and yogurt with plastic wrap and wrap a dish towel around it to provide additional insulation.

Heat the milk on the low setting of the microwave for 30 seconds. Continue heating the yogurt for between 30 seconds and a minute once per hour for about 4 hours.

Stir in pieces of cut-up fruit or berries as desired.

Store the completed yogurt in the refrigerator after 4 hours and allow it to chill before eating.